Matthew 6:34 - Trust Jesus For One Day At A Time.
Matthew 6:34: Trust Jesus For One Day At A Time.
Matthew 6:34 (NKJV) Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow
will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
COMMENTARY PEARL
Hurry creates worry. Matthew 6:34 says, Dont worry
about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each day
has enough trouble of its own (NCV).
There are two days you should never worry about: yesterday
and tomorrow.
You cant live in the past. You cant live in the future.
You can only live today. Why should you only live one day at a time?
First, when you worry about tomorrows problems, you miss the
blessings of today. Second, you cannot solve tomorrows problems with
todays power. When tomorrow arrives, God will give you the power,
perspective, grace, and wisdom you need.
The Bible does not say, Give us this day our WEEKLY
bread. It says, Give us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:11
ESV). God wants you to depend on him one day at a time. He will
provide everything you need. You will lack nothing.
Its okay to plan for tomorrow. Just dont borrow trouble
from tomorrow. Trust God for each day as it comes. [Daily Devotional
by Rick Warren: https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
INTRODUCTION
Do you know which sin is the subtle enemy of simple faith?
Materialism and greed? Anger? Lust? Hypocrisy? No. All of these sins are
certainly our enemies, but none of them qualify as subtle enemies.
The most notorious faith killer in all of life: worry. "For
this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what
you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to
what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than
clothing?" (Matt. 6:25).
Being something of a wordsmith, I find the term "worry"
fascinating. To begin with, the word used by Matthew (translated here as
"anxious") is the Greek term merimnao. It is a combination of two smaller
words, merizo, meaning "to divide," and nous, meaning "the mind." In
other words, a person who is anxious suffers from a divided mind,
leaving him or her disquieted and distracted.
Of all the biblical stories illustrating worry, none is more
practical or clear than the one recorded in the last five verses of Luke
10. Let's briefly relive it.
Jesus dropped by His friends' home in Bethany. Martha, one of
those friends, turned the occasion into a mild frenzy. To make matters
worse, Martha's sister, Mary, was so pleased to have the Lord visit
their home that she sat with Him and evidenced little concern over her
sister's anxiety attack.
As Luke tells us, "Martha was distracted with all her
preparations" (Luke 10:40). But Martha didn't have help, and that was the
final straw. Irritated, exasperated, and angry, she reached her
boiling point, and her boiling point led to blame. "Lord, do You not
care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then
tell her to help me" (10:40).
But Jesus was neither impressed by her busyness nor
intimidated by her command. Graciously, yet firmly, He said, "Martha,
Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a
few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the
good part, which shall not be taken away from her" (10:41"42).
Worry occurs when we assume responsibility for things that
are outside our control. And I love the Lord's solution: "only a few
things are necessary, really only one." What a classic example of
simple faith!
All Mary wanted was time with Jesus and He commended her
for that. Mary's simple faith, in contrast to her sister's panic,
won the Savior's affirmation.
Worry and faith just don't mix.
Worry occurs when we assume responsibility for things that
are outside our control. [Chuck Swindoll www.insight.org.]
COMMENTARY
"We're not worried," we say nervously, "just quite
concerned."
Life is full of concerns - fleeting, chronic, financial,
relational, mild, or severe. These worries can drive us crazy just thinking
about them. They can also cause us to question our faith in God. Does
God care about our concerns? Is he doing anything to help us out?
In this passage, Jesus points out the lessons in trust that
we can learn from nature, assuring us of the futility of worry and
of the certainty of God's care. Strengthen your dependence on God's
gracious care, and watch your worries melt away.
Jesus knew that his disciples naturally worried about having
enough of life's necessities, so he reassured them that God would
provide for their needs. He pointed out that God provides for the animal
kingdom, so he also would provide for them - they mattered much more than
the animals (Matthew 6:25-34).
Worrying about our needs accomplishes nothing and ignores the
fact that God works to meet those needs. Jesus didn't tell his
disciples to be lazy or not to work, just to trust God and not to worry.
Do what you can about the concerns you have, but also realize
that God, who loves and cares for you, has made provision for them as
well. He will not let your needs overwhelm you. Whenever worries
plague you, follow these three steps: (1) tell God about your concerns,
asking him to provide for your needs; (2) do what you humanly can to
work on your concerns; and (3) trust in God's goodness remember
that he cares for you more than even you care for yourself, and he
will provide all you need at the right time. [The One Year Through
the Bible Devotional by Dave Veerman]
We live in a world absolutely crippled by anxiety. I feel it,
and I know my kids do too. It's pervasive in the world around us. We
see it even in the faces of strangers in the crowd. Living with
anxiety is like being bound by chains.
But worry and anxiety don't help us at all! When we worry, we
aren't solving a problem; we are just being bound by it. Like chains,
worry and anxiety keep us locked down, unable to move forward. We get
stuck. Maybe it's a bill we don't know how we're going to pay. Maybe we
worry that we aren't strong enough to stay on the road to recovery. We
might even be worrying about those we love.
When we worry, we are telling God, "I've got this one." We
think we are in control, but we aren't. Worry and anxiety really don't
change anything. They just wear us out and keep us tied up. But God
will break those chains if we ask him to. Instead of continuing to
turn those anxious thoughts over in our minds and worrying about
things we can't control, let's leave our anxious thoughts with Jesus
and let him break those chains that have us bound.
Father, thank you for setting me free from the chains of
worry and anxiety. I leave all my anxious thoughts at your feet. In
Jesus' name, Amen. [Celebrate Recovery Daily Devotional by John &
Johnny Baker re Psa. 107:14]
ILLUSTRATION
How do we keep going when we are hurting? How do we live? A
friend once gave me some advice about living with chronic pain: Just do
the next thing. In other words, dont try to wrap your mind around
a long season - or a lifetime - of discomfort and pain; just
tackle the next hour, the next day, the next night. As Jesus said,
"Don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries.
Today's trouble is enough for today." If you are dealing with any kind
of pain today, just do the next thing. It may mean getting out of
bed, getting up off the couch, getting out of the house, doing the
laundry, or washing the dishes in the sink. Revelation 21:4 reminds us
that very soon there will be no more night, pain, or tears. So press
on as best you can and lean helplessly into His arms. You can do no
more - and you can do no less.
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for reminding me that I only need to
concern myself with living one day at a time, one hour at a time. I
don't know what tomorrow will bring, but I know that whatever it
maybe, You will be there with me. And that's all I need to know. [A
Spectacle Of Glory By Joni Eareckson Tada And Larry Libby]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Worry Stoppers to Bring Peace
Here are eight worry-stoppers, found in the letters of the
word P-E-A-C-E-F-U-L.
Pray, first. Casting the whole of your care upon Him
Easy, now. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for
Him.
Act on it. Be a doer, not a stewer.
Compile a worry list. Keep a list of things that trouble
you. How many have turned into a reality?
Evaluate your worry categories. Pray specifically about them.
Focus on today. God meets daily needs daily.
Unleash a worry army. Ask a few loved ones to pray with you
and for you.
Let God be enough. Seek the Kingdom of God above all
else.
Eight steps. P-E-A-C-E-F-U-L. [Max Lucado Daily Devotional at
maxlucado.com]
Each day has enough trouble of its own. A logical implication
of this truth is that you can expect to encounter some trouble
everyday. I want to help you handle calmly and confidently the
difficulties that come your way. Events that surprise you do not surprise Me,
because I know everything. I am the Beginning and the End. Moreover, I
am fully available to you - to guide and comfort you as you go
through turbulent times.
Having enough trouble in each day can help you live in the
present. Your active mind seeks challenges to chew on. Without enough to
occupy your mind today, you are more likely to worry about the future.
I am training you to keep your focus on My Presence in the
present.
Difficulties need not deter you from enjoying My Presence. On
the contrary, they draw you closer to Me when you collaborate with
Me in handling them. As we deal with your problems together, you
gain confidence in your ability to cope. And the pleasure of My
Company greatly increases your Joy! (Mat. 6:34; Rev. 21:6; Rom. 12:12)
[Jesus Always by Sarah Young]
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Are you hoping that a change in circumstances will bring a
change in your attitude? If so, you are in prison, and you need to
learn a secret of traveling light. What you have in your Shepherd is
greater than what you dont have in life.
May I meddle for a moment? What is the one thing separating
you from joy? How do you fill in this blank: I will be happy when
________________? When I am healed. When I am promoted. When I am married. When I
am single. When I am rich. How would you finish that statement?
Now, with your answer firmly in mind, answer this. If your
ship never comes in, if your dream never comes true, if the situation
never changes, could you be happy? If not, then you are sleeping in
the cold cell of discontent. You are in prison. And you need to know
what you have in your Shepherd.
You have a God who hears you, the power of love behind you,
the Holy Spirit within you, and all of heaven ahead of you. If you
have the Shepherd, you have grace for every sin, direction for every
turn, a candle for every corner, and an anchor for every storm. You
have everything you need. From Lucado Inspirational Reader [Max
Lucado Daily Devotional at maxlucado.com]
Sometimes life seems incomplete unless we have something to
worry about. What will happen if ...? What am I going to do about ...?
How can I afford ...? In Matthew 6, Jesus offers a simple dose of
reality: God feeds the birds and dresses the grass. Of course He's going
to provide for His children. So don't wormy - trust. [Daily Bible
Promise Book By Barbour Publishing]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2018/20180104-1030.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo [old, but one of the best]
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Musical Devotional On Christian Living:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/
ABible.com: http://www.aBible.com
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug Batchelor:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmGvdtMCf1aJTiC59-lPtuUMEq_uEn0BK
Restoring The Power by John Bradshaw:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRogO1SxoZN15Boa7BMon4BouVMdteVaq
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
Last Day Prophecy: His Other Sheep by Pastor Gerald Babanezhad:
https://vimeo.com/162267518
